Media Digest (4/12/2011) Reuters, WSJ, NYT, FT, Bloomberg

Japan raised the severity of its nuclear crisis to the same level as Chernobyl. (Reuters)

Alcoa (NYSE: AA) beat earnings but missed sales.(Reuters)

Nasdaq OMX (NASDAQ NDAQ) and Deutsche Boerse have approached NYSE Euronext’s (NYSE: NYX) largest shareholders in the hope of winning the exchange company. (Reuters)

The Federal Reserve will keep interest rates low even as the price of crude rises. (Reuters)

The effects of the earthquake on Japan’s economy are likely to be worse than first expected. (Reuters)

Microsoft (NYSE: MSFT) has created new software which targets business in the hope of getting sales from Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) and SAP (NYSE: SAP). (Reuters)

Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) will sell a new, less expensive version of the Kindle,which carries ads. (Reuters)

The chief operating officer of Renault was pushed out due to a botched investigation of several employees. (WSJ)

Fiat raised its ownership in Chrysler from 25% to 30%. (WSJ)

There will probably be no agreement between regulators and banks over the issue of mortgage foreclosure practices. (WSJ)

The IMF said that increases in inflation could undermine the global recovery. (WSJ)

Toyota Motor’s (NYSE: TM) shortage of parts will go on longer than expected. (WSJ)

Regulators have begun to battle over which agencies should regular M&A. deals (WSJ)

Obama said he was open to a compromise on the federal debt cap. (WSJ)

A large drought has hurt farmers in the southeast. (WSJ)

The opposition party in Portugal wants a role in negotiating bailout agreements. (WSJ)

Level 3 (NASDAQ: LVLT) will buy Global Crossing for $1.9 billion. (WSJ)

Tenet Healthcare filed a suit aimed at blocking a takeover by Community Health. (WSJ)

HanesBrans will develop clothing made from flax and not cotton to fight inflation. (WSJ)

A oilsands pipeline in Canada has raised environmental concerns. (WSJ)

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) has launched chips aimed at the table market. (WSJ)

Glencore will launch an $11 billion IPO. (WSJ)

Wheat prices rose because of drought. (WSJ)

Student loan debt will probably top $1 trillion this year. (NYT)

Gas prices may curtail the amount that Americans drive. (NYT)

Some economists think that budget cuts will slow GDP growth. (NYT)

Natural gas is more subject to methane leaks than previously thought. (NYT)

The IMF remained optimistic about global growth. (FT)

Pimco’s management has begun to bet against US debt. (FT)

Nokia (NYSE: NOK) may make its deepest jobs cuts in 20 years. (Bloomberg)

Inflation in Germany rose more than expected last month. (Bloomberg)

JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM) and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) revenue may be below expectation. (Bloomberg)

The IMF and EU sent managers to Lisbon to begin bailout negotiations. (Bloomberg)

Douglas A. McIntyre